Shopping in Boulder

One cannot live by spectacular outdoor recreation and fantastic food alone. Sometimes, you've got to shop. Fortunately, Boulder has you covered in the shopping department as well.

As expected, we've got your hipster vintage clothing stores, independent book stores, and (of course) the Apple Store. But what will surprise you about Boulder is the lack of the "same ol' same 'ol" when it comes to just about every category of shopping destination you can imagine.

In the heart of downtown Boulder is the Pearl Street Mall, a four block pedestrian shopping, dining, and entertainment zone free from cars and full of fun. This part of Pearl is a historic district, housing many of the the oldest buildings in Boulder -- and some of the best shopping anywhere. But don't forget the Twenty Ninth Street shopping district, which houses some of the world's favorite retail brands, including Macy's, the aforementioned Apple Store, and coming in 2013 -- Trader Joe's.

I sit in front of a computer screen 8-10 hours a day, writing, reading, coding, editing, and email. My career relies heavily on my brain and I will never complain about that. But because I spend so much time online and in one stationary position most days, I love working with my hands in my free time.

I love creating beautiful things with thread and needle, wood and screws, and brush and canvas. D-I-Y are my three favorite letters in the alphabet and Boulder has a number of excellent, locally owned businesses to feed my (and hopefully your) creative needs.

Read on to find a store that caters to your favorite crafting activity in Boulder.

I don’t know about you, but this holiday season cannot come fast enough for me this year. I’m yearning for twinkling lights outlining homes and bright ornaments festooning pine trees. I want the warmth and cheer that the holidays bring after an exhausting, intense October and November.

I know I’m fortunate to be surrounded and supported by friends and family during this season and it makes me want to support others in any way I can. That’s why I’m a huge proponent of shopping local during the holidays.

Of course, after there’s Black Friday, there’s always Small Business Saturday, but I think you can be supporting your local artisans any day of the week. Here’s a guide to get you started. This is by no means extensive, because there are so many amazing locally owned shops in Boulder.Continue Reading

’Tis the season for gift-giving, but instead of battling crowds at large chain stores, consider shopping local this year! Boulder is filled with so many wonderful businesses and restaurants, it’s easy to find the perfect gift for the range of people in your life. Check out these Boulderific gift ideas that will surely put smiles on your loved one’s faces this holiday season.

And we KNOW there are tons of additional local artisans and gifting options in our wonderful city. If you have one to add, drop it in the comments on the post or on Facebook. The community is better when we all share our “best ofs” and go-tos.Continue Reading

If you’ve ever found yourself perusing Pearl Street Mall between Broadway and 13th Street, chances are you’ve had your eyes caught by an inviting, visually arresting set of window displays.

Below the store’s blue and white striped awnings, Peppercorn’s large, ever-changing displays will grab your attention, pique your interest, and make it impossible for you to not step into the store. Peppercorn is jam packed with a plethora of seasonal and staple kitchen, home, and décor items, always ripe for exploring. If you’re in that Pearl Street Mall window-shopping mood, you simply can’t just walk by. Peppercorn is a microcosm of Pearl Street Mall in and of itself — a collection of the creative, the artistic, the functional, and the local flair that makes it a perfect place for wandering, discovering, gift shopping, and getting into the seasonal spirit.

Peppercorn opened on Pearl Street Mall in 1977 and was originally a cooking school and small gourmet kitchen store. Independently owned since its inception, Peppercorn has grown considerably and has expanded into its present 12,000 square foot, two-story shopping heaven, featuring items from top kitchen brands like Le Creuset to smaller artisan products, gadgets, and décor. Peppercorn serves as an ever-evolving and always unique shopping destination where Boulder visitors can purchase local souvenirs while Boulderites can trust that they will find something new and exciting with each return trip. In recent years, items at Peppercorn have become available to purchase online, and Peppercorn has also developed gift registry options.

The true magic of Peppercorn, though, is getting immersed in the sensory overload of the store itself. Continue Reading

Yep. Wednesdays at the Boulder Farmers Market are back on Wednesdays effective TODAY! Now that’s a pretty neat reward to get you over the hump this hump day.

Here’s what this means. From 4-8pm (you know, after you’re done at the office) you can head over to the market and get your fresh eats for the week. Drop those at home or in your car, and then head back out with friends to catch one of our fabulous happy hours around town. Hey, if you’re feeling crazy, go ahead and have dinner. Try the Wednesday Mexiburger at Centro, or pop into T|aco for some margarita and street taco fare if you’re short on time.

Boulder has been named the city with the most beautiful people in the country. Statistics have shown it’s also home to the smartest. So how do all we hot hip gorgeous Boulderites keep our wardrobes as beautiful and smart as we are? We make like Macklemore and buy used.
Used clothing is the best way to have rocking style while staying ecologically smart (as well as economically so). Boulder has several used and otherwise recycled clothing shops to choose from: thrift, consignment, and everything in between. I’ve covered the biggies here:

Boulder is rich in memories – ones your family and friends might want to take home. This means we’ve got quite the array of boutique-type shops for just those kinds of shopping specialties. Having waves of tourism passing through at all times means we’ve got lots of gifts being sold through these boutiques. Three of the most established, longest-running places to procure the widest variety of local gifts for that special out-of-town someone (or to show off when you get home if you’re passing through yourself) luckily all boast spots on the historic Pearl Street Mall.

Beginning this past Saturday, April 4th, a stretch of 13th Street between Canyon and Arapahoe in downtown Boulder becomes a weekly haven for fresh produce-loving foodies and fun-loving families for the next eight months.

The Boulder Farmers’ Market, which runs on Saturdays from April 4th to November 21st and on Wednesday nights from May 6th through October 7th, is renowned for its focus on the freshest local produce available and its indelible Boulder spirit and heritage. With produce, products, and events that flex and change along with the seasons, the Boulder Farmers’ Market is a central experience ingrained in the Boulder community.

In a week, we’ll all be waking up with turkey hangovers and more leftover stuffing than we know what to do with. More than a few of us will swear off pumpkin anything and everything for another year and still others will be nursing the emotional wounds of football losses.

If that weren’t enough, the day after Thanksgiving is also the biggest shopping day of the year. Some of you will drag your sluggish bodies to the local big box store and wait in line in the freezing cold before dawn with the hopes that you’ll be able to score one of this season’s hottest thingamajigs.

Whether your dog is named Aspen, Cody or Chinook, we get it; he’s your constant companion. You take them to the park and hiking all around the state. They’re with you when you call it a night and they’re the first face you see in the morning.

So it makes sense that you’d want to take them around town with you, right? Lucky for you, Boulder is a fairly dog-friendly city, so you have a ton of options when it comes to dining out, drinking up or just running errands.